Excellent meal last night but though we were stuffed we still managed to attack our breakfast, with great gusto.
This morning we cruised past the South Shetland Islands, though didn’t see them as there was too much fog, however we did see several icebergs. After yesterday, we are a little disappointed with the weather; fog and 3 to 4 meter high seas, in fact the Captain, in his 1000hrs broadcast warned us all to hang onto the rails around the ship, pretty obvious I would have thought though anyone who keeps saying “awesome” probably needs reminding!!!!!
We had a leisurely morning catching up with our daily logs ready for posting next time we have internet and reading, not to mention our customary morning coffee/tea break at our specialist Coffee Shop on board and today, for the first time, managed to have their carrot cake; it usually goes the moment it is put into the cabinet, no wonder it is excellent.
Midday and still very foggy as we approach Elephant Island, shame but hey, yesterday’s weather was exceptional, today’s is more the norm. We donned all our cold weather gear and went on deck with strict instructions to be careful as the winds were about 70 miles an hour and very cold! We looked at, studied, photographed this big famous rock at the tip of the Antarctica peninsula. Why is it famous you may ask, and why is it called “Elephant Island”, well it was named by one “George Powell” in 1821 because many seals live there and it’s shape, the head of a circus elephant. It is famous because this is where Sir Ernest Shackleton left 28 members of his crew in 1916 to get help after his ship, the Endurance was crushed by the winter ice in 1915. The base the 28 lived on was called “Point Wild” and they lived mainly on Penguin and Seal meat. Shackleton returned 4 months later and saved each member of his exploratory crew.
After so much photography, in the fog, lunch called so off we trotted to the Ocean View Cafe for a light lunch then back to our cabin, it was here, just as we started to leave that the fog lifted and we had a good view of the Island, unfortunately we were out of our cold gear and down on deck 2, where our cabin is situated. If we had got ready and gone back on deck, we would have missed it!!!
Showers and dressed in time for the 1900 hrs show but as the sea had now become rather choppy and the act due to perform did, amongst other things, acrobatics, they had to cancel. To the rescue was David Scofield, he only had 30 minutes notice, the classical pianist who played 3 nights ago, he had a different repertoire to play tonight, but again, he had the audience riveted.
Dinner followed, then back to our cabin, a game of crib, finish the log then to bed; my this cruising is tiring!!!!!
A full day at sea tomorrow as we head north, hopefully to warmer weather.